The NASA Artemis II mission is on track to set a new record, aiming to surpass the distance traveled by Apollo 13 astronauts who flew to space in 1970. The Orion spacecraft carries astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen to test critical systems that will support upcoming lunar missions.
The Orion spacecraft will complete its mission on April 6 by traveling behind the moon and reaching a distance of 252,021 miles from Earth, surpassing the 1970 Apollo 13 record of 248,655 miles.
NASA Artemis II mission updates
The mission will test vital systems needed for upcoming moon landings while creating stunning images of Earth from space.
The Artemis II crew will follow a free return path that will take them back to Earth after their lunar flight. The astronauts will reach the closest point to the moon when they travel 7,000 kilometers beyond the far side.
NASA Artemis II Mission Director Jim Free said, “This flight is an important step in demonstrating Artemis’ capabilities for human lunar exploration.” The new maximum distance exceeds Apollo 13 by approximately 5,366 miles, creating a historic milestone in human spaceflight.
During their first video message, the astronauts showed the beautiful Earth images that can be seen from space. NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman said: “You can see the whole world from pole to pole. The event stopped all four of us from continuing our activities.
Victor Glover added: “Trust us; you look amazing,” highlighting the beauty of Earth from orbit. Christina Koch shared light-hearted moments, including fixing Orion’s $30 million jammed toilet, and joked, “I’m proud to call myself the space plumber.”
The fifth member of the crew is Rise, a moon-themed plush toy designed by 8-year-old Lucas Ye, inspired by the famous Earthrise image from Apollo 8. Glover used the floating toy as a playful gravity cue, adding humor to the historic mission.
